Chipping Norton lido: Jeremy Clarkson auction raises £16,000

Donors promised lots for the auction hosted by Jeremy Clarkson at the town hall on Friday

An auction of promises hosted by Jeremy Clarkson has raised £16,000 for a community-run outdoor swimming pool.

Lots to raise cash for Chipping Norton lido included a six-month supply of eggs, a classic car experience and a dog and owner swim at the pool.

A tractor driving lesson with Kaleb Cooper, from the TV personality's farm, was the most popular, going for £1,100.

Organisers said the money raised "will be vital as the huge hikes in energy costs had hit the lido hard".

The heated pool originally opened in 1970

Threatened with closure, it was taken on by the community after the district council withdrew its funding in 2003.

The pool has been run by local people as a charity since 2004 and relies on the support of the public.

A spokeswoman for the charity said: "As the pandemic recedes, the lido is facing the even bigger crisis of escalating costs, especially in energy.

"With no public funding available to help businesses like this, the support of the community is vital to ensure that this much-loved pool can ride out the current storm and remain open."

The 25m (82ft) pool, which originally opened in 1970, had a £75,000 revamp in 2014/15 through funds raised and a £60,000 Sport England grant.